You Are The Sun
by summersaults16
Summary: Sakura realizes that he is like the sun. He burns so brightly, shedding light to open people's eyes and hearts to seek the beauty from within. He is the fire that does not hurt and ignites warmth to those around him. Like the sun, he bares his soul & conceals nothing. He is constant & stable, always giving & never asking for anything in return. He is Naruto. (NaruSaku) Shippuden AU
1. Chapter 1

You Are The Sun

Full summary: It is a while before she learns about the symbols given to them by the Sage of the Six Paths when Sakura realizes that he is like the sun. He burns so brightly, shedding light to open people's eyes and hearts to seek the beauty from within. He is the fire that does not hurt and ignites warmth to those around him. Like the sun, he bares his soul and conceals nothing. He is constant and stable, always giving and never asking for anything in return. He is Naruto. (NaruSaku) Shippuden AU

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**Hello, everyone! This is my first fic for the Naruto fandom so please cut me some slack if you notice any mistakes. I'm really trying my damnest to keep them all in character. (I am quite nervous about this). I have read many Saku/various pairing fics but this is my first contribution to the NaruSaku ship and to the fandom. I really wanted to do justice to Sakura's horrible "I love you, Naruto" confession scene. Forgive me for being many years too late! The inspiration only came to me now.**

**I know Naruto is a shounen manga that doesn't focus on romance, but it would've been much better if Kishimoto and SP at least portrayed a more realistic scene between the two and not a ridiculous love proclamation that came out of the blue. This is my take on that. Shippuden is such a looong series and I honestly don't remember everything that happened. Although, don't worry! I researched/rewatched/reread the important things from the anime/manga.**

**IMPORTANT****: This is an AU so I won't follow everything in canon. This story will begin with Sai's confrontation of Sakura about Naruto's promise to her. This is chapter 458 in the manga and episode 201 in the Shippuden anime. Remember, this is my take on how I wanted things to happen.**

**Lastly, please, tell me what you think! I have no beta for this, so be nice :)**

***The italics are either an emphasis, Sakura's inner dialogue or a flashback scene.**

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"Sakura," she hears Sai speak.

It is the grave tone in his voice, accompanied by the use of her given name and not a rude moniker like, '_Ugly'_ that makes her pause and turn to look at him.

"Why?" he asks and Sakura thinks that it is supposed to be her asking that question, and not the other way around.

She chooses not to berate him but doesn't answer his question. "Why, what?" she counters, a bit surly. She is in no mood to play mind games with this socially awkward artist, especially with everything that is happening with Sasuke and the Akatsuki.

"He's hurt." Is all he says. His mouth presses into a thin line and his brows are furrowed as though he is trying really hard to understand something.

"_Sai_," she stresses his name and exhales sharply. "Stop speaking in riddles! If this is your idea of proper human interaction, it's wrong. We have no time for this. Who's hurt?"

Her lips form into a stiff grimace as a muscle twitches involuntarily at the corner of her right eye. Suddenly, the faces of her absent team members flash inside her mind: Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, and Captain Yamato. She can feel the panic rising like a cluster of electrical sparks in her abdomen, while a million unpleasant scenarios start playing in her head. _What is happening to them in the Land of Iron, right now?_

"Naruto's in pain," he finally elaborates. It is enough to stop the cogs inside her brain from working on overdrive, however, it doesn't calm her.

"What do you mean?" Sakura demands. She is aware of the growing apprehension spreading rapidly through her body.

They are inside one of the rooms at the Hokage Tower.

Sai stays quiet and glances in all directions until his gaze lingers at the door where Shizune has left moments earlier. They both know they are alone and his actions are not lost on Sakura. She assumes that whatever he has to say to her, has to be something serious if he does not want anyone else to overhear.

"When you left the mission, the kunoichi from Kumogakure, Karui, ruthlessly assaulted Naruto. His body was a bloody mess and both of his eyes were left swollen."

Sakura's green eyes widened in shock then, morphed into anger. "She's one of Killer B's students, but why would she do that? Naruto didn't do anything wrong! Plus, Konoha and Kumogakure are allies!"

"Naruto told them to take their hatred out on him because he refused to tell them anything about Sasuke. He even went as far as to plead to the Raikage to spare Sasuke's life."

Sai's response surprises Sakura, even though she is very familiar with the blond's reckless tendencies.

"Kakashi-sensei and Captain Yamato... Are they still with him?" she inquires almost immediately. Regardless of being certain of the answer herself, she still needs his confirmation.

"I believe so. Kakashi-sama has faith in Naruto. Although, I presume that the outcome of his attempts is probably futile," Sai replies, providing her with the details she missed. "He told me to keep all these things from you because he didn't want you to worry."

"Naruto, you idiot," Sakura whispers sadly as her whole body starts to tremble and her face contorts in pain.

"I know I only became a member of Team 7 recently, as Sasuke's replacement and there's still a lot of things I don't understand about people. But Sakura, don't you care about Naruto, at all?" The admonishment is clear under his blank expression.

"Of course, I do!" She shouts, livid at him for even doubting her concern about Naruto. _How dare Sai accuse her of such a thing?! _

_It is she __who stood in between Naruto and Sasuke as they were about to finish each other off in the hospital rooftop when they were children. __She is the one who threw herself in harm's way to save her team members from death, without thinking about the consequences, before Kakashi-sensei interfered. And it is she__, who tried everything she could in her power to stop Sasuke from leaving them when he decided to join Orochimaru._

_"_You don't know what you're talking about, Sai," she grits her teeth. She clenches her fists tightly, itching to punch him to the afterlife. And she is just about to hit him, when the next thing he says to her, instantly stops her knuckles from clashing with his jaw.

"You're right. I don't know everything that's going on and I don't even know what promises he made to you. But, even _I_ can tell how much he loves you!"

If Sakura takes a moment to contemplate about it, this is the first time she witnessed Sai create an outburst. Though, it is his words that leave an impact on her and render her speechless.

She stutters for a moment and every cell in her body goes on hold, while her thoughts try to catch up with everything he said. She is not sure what to make out of this. Suddenly, her mind and heart are in conflict, desperately scrambling to make sense of it all and what to process first.

The memory of a much younger Naruto and Sakura makes the decision for her.

_"Naruto... Please, __please__ bring Sasuke back!" She begs with all the force her twelve-year-old self can muster, thinking that this is the only thing she is capable of doing, at that moment. The tears continue to burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face and she feels the muscles of her chin tremble as she remembers Sasuke's back fade away in the distance. "I-I couldn't do it! I couldn't stop him. And right now, the only person who could probably save Sasuke-kun is you!"_

_There is a hint of disappointment in Naruto's features that rapidly transforms into hurt. As swiftly as it appears, it is gone in a flash, and his face resigns into acceptance. The young Sakura pays no attention to any of this. Though, her older self cannot disregard it anymore._

_"Sakura-chan... You really like Sasuke, don't you?" The sadness is evident in his voice if only she has noticed it before. "I know you're hurting a lot, right now. I feel the same way, too, but I'll bring Sasuke back! I swear I'll bring him home!" He quickly masks his real emotions with a huge toothy grin and a big thumbs up. "I never go back on my word, that's my ninja way! Believe it!"_

**••**

It is then Sakura realizes that he is like the sun. He burns so brightly, shedding light to open people's eyes and hearts to seek the beauty from within. He is the fire that does not hurt and ignites warmth to those around him. Like the sun, he bares his soul and conceals nothing. He is constant and stable, always giving and never asking for anything in return. He _is_ Naruto.

Tears begin to stream down her cheeks, falling to the ground like raindrops. Regret washes over her like the long, slow waves on a shallow beach. Each wave is icy cold, stabbing her in the chest, and sends brutal shivers down her spine. She has become blinded by her own selfish desires and she has never been so ashamed of herself. Her hands ball into fists and her nails painfully dig into the skin of her palms, until she is drawing blood. Though, she barely recognizes it. The only thing she is really aware of is the sound of her heart throbbing against her chest. She can feel her heart breaking like glass. Its pieces can be placed back together. However, she is certain that the cracks will never disappear.

It is Sai who brings her back to the present. For the concluding words, he utters, hits the final nail in the proverbial coffin. "Naruto's been shouldering that promise for a long time and I suppose he intends to do so, for the rest of his life. Sasuke causes Naruto pain, but I think, _you _do too."

And before Sakura can even reply to that, she sees him perform hand seals until he disappears in a cloud of smoke, leaving her all alone, like the insensitive bastard he is.


	2. Chapter 2

**I am honestly so happy with the feedback this little fic of mine is getting just from the first chapter. Thank you so much for giving this story a chance. For all the follows, favorites, and reviews. I promise to do my best even if sometimes I feel like my writing is absolute crap because I have no beta for this and English is not my first language. I still hope you guys stay for the ride and lots of love to you all :))**

**This is the second chapter. Please, leave me a review. It really brightens my day to know what you think of the story. And remember this is an AU.**

***The italics are either an emphasis, Sakura's inner dialogue or a flashback scene.**

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Shizune enters the room with scrolls tucked under her arms, long after Sai has gone, and finds Sakura sitting on the floor. There is an air of indefinable melancholy surrounding the younger kunoichi. Her body is utterly still and fatigue is written all over her. Her green eyes are dull and glassy, as though she is staring at nothing and she looks so unbelievably lost.

The sight shocks Shizune, for she has never seen Sakura behave like this before.

"Sakura?" The older woman calls out, worriedly. She kneels right beside her and places a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

_Am I?_ In all honesty, Sakura does not know the answer to that question, so she simply says nothing. The guilt is eating her inside like a toxin to her spirit, purging out all her other emotions until it is the only thing left for her to feel.

The ache in her chest is still there. It does not want to go away and it is wearing her out, making her heart feel raw and hollow. The skin around her eyes is blotched and red. Her eyelids are heavy and swollen. She has no more tears left to shed. And no matter how hard she tries, she cannot stop her mind from rewinding, again and again, Sai's last words to her.

_Sasuke causes Naruto pain, but I think, you do too_.

Sakura keeps asking herself, "What if I had done things differently? Not just with Naruto, but also with Sasuke... Would things still turn out like this?" Suddenly, her thoughts began dwelling to a past she cannot change or erase, though, she desperately clings for hope.

"Stupid Sai," she furiously mumbles under her breath. She is very upset, confused, and hurt. She mentally curses him, his ancestors, down to his future descendants to the Kami for giving her so much to think about when she already has her plate full. It is as if the weight of it all seems to press down on her shoulders.

Reluctantly, she sighs and takes back what she has said about him. It is not fair to take it out on him, even though he did drop the bomb quite harshly. She knows there is no one else to be blamed for this whole ordeal, but _herself_ and not her socially inept teammate. So, Sakura decides to focus her attention on the other person inside the room aside from herself.

Her green eyes land on Shizune and with a steady gaze at the woman followed by an upward turn of her lips she wishes is a passable smile, she mutters pathetically, "It's nothing."

The older kunoichi is not convinced but she nods in understanding and stands up, pulling Sakura to her feet, as well. She doesn't pry and for that, the pink haired girl is grateful.

"Get some rest, Sakura. Leave the rest to me," Shizune tells her.

If this is any other time, Sakura may have argued or protest about leaving her duties behind. Though, she is already too distracted and conflicted to continue the tasks at hand. She offers a soft thanks to the older kunoichi and makes her way out of the Hokage Tower.

It does not take long for her to notice Sai on the road along with the rest of Konoha 11. Her peers seem to be in the middle of a serious discussion based on how stern their features all are. This leaves her more anxious than ever. Her pulse begins to pound loudly in her temples – a sure start of a headache, while her palms turn clammy. She has a strong feeling they must be talking about Sasuke, or Naruto... Or _both._ She immediately changes her course and hurriedly makes her way to the group.

"Ino, quit crying! It's not helping!" Sakura hears Kiba yell loudly in irritation. His fangs are bared and there is a prominent frown etched on his face.

Ino does not reply, but it only increases the influx of her tears as Choji comforts her.

It is Tenten who shouts at Kiba, "Kiba, you shouldn't talk to Ino like that!–"

He immediately cuts her off, clearly fed up with the matter. "What else can we do? It's not like we have a choice! Things aren't how they used to be!" Right next to him, Akamaru whines.

At his response, Tenten becomes quiet and the rest of the group does not react. Their expressions are torn and uncertain, for they appear to be aware of the truth behind Kiba's words.

"Let Shikamaru handle this," Neji interjects, both of his arms are folded across his chest. "This is his responsibility as a team leader."

Slouching near the tree, Shikamaru grimaces.

Sakura can feel the tension in the air slowly increasing by the moment and from a distance, she vaguely hears Shino say, "If Ino is like this, then, Sakura and Naruto will be..."

Shino is unable to finish that sentence because, at the sound of her name, Sakura announces her presence. Even if she is certain her friends may have already sensed her approach before her actual arrival, with all of them being a ninja. She has no reason to mask her own chakra. She does it out of respect for not being an eavesdropper.

Shikamaru is the first one who addresses her and gestures at her teammate, "Sakura, Sai. Let's talk."

At his motion, Konoha 11 disperses, giving the three of them some privacy.

Looking at her directly in the eye with all of them gone, Shikamaru explains, "I know this is difficult, but we can't allow a war to break out between Konohagakure and Kumogakure just because of Sasuke. They already consider him an international criminal. We need to stop him and the Akatsuki ourselves."

Sai nods solemnly, "We've been relying on Naruto for too long, it's time we act."

"If you, Ino, or Naruto do something stupid and get yourselves killed. Me, Choji, Inoichi, your parents, and a lot of other people will be forced to exact revenge. If we die, our parents will want to avenge us, as well. The same goes for the other side. It'll be an endless cycle of war," the spiked haired ninja continues to say to her.

"W-what are you asking me to do, Shikamaru?" Her voice is trembling even if she tries her best to keep it together. Deep down inside, Sakura is certain they are planning to eliminate Sasuke. The thought painfully twists her heart like a knife.

"_Your_ _permission_," he answers, not in his usually bland tone. "We aren't kids anymore, Sakura."

As hard as it already is, Sakura knows he is right. This is not like some childish rivalry between herself and Ino over a troubled boy she has loved every since her childhood. Countless lives are at stake and regardless of whatever answer she gives to him, this is an order that must be done. She is sure he is doing this out of consideration of their feelings, rather than anything else.

"I honestly don't know what answers to give you. And I'm sure whatever I say won't really matter. I just need to inform Naruto about this. He has a right to know."

Her response brings Sai's attention to her. He can see that Sakura truly cares about their blond teammate. He discreetly approves of it.

"I'll speak to Naruto," Shikamaru offers, unwilling to give Sakura the burden. "Where is he?"

"Naruto has gone to the Land of Iron to meet the Raikage with Kakashi-sama and Captain Yamato, " Sai quickly supplies for him.

Before Shikamaru can voice out his surprise, Sakura speaks up, "Naruto is my teammate, Shikamaru, and so was Sasuke. I _need_ to do this." The conviction in her tone is loud and clear. Though, it will incredibly pain her to do this. This is her responsibility, not his, and not anyone else's.

The way she convinces him makes Shikamaru huff, "This is such a drag." However, after careful consideration, he gives in and dips his head in agreement. "Alright, but I'm coming."

For that Sakura is grateful and adds, "Just bring back up. We may need it."

The spiked haired ninja nods and disappears with a cloud of smoke.

"Sai..." Sakura calls his name when he starts walking off in the opposite direction.

He stops and tilts his head to the side, inquiringly. "Yes, Ugly?"

Whether she likes it or not, the use of his terrible nickname for her is a sign that everything between them is now going back to normal again.

She cracks her knuckles then, makes a fist. And without holding back, she punches him right in the gut. "That's for being a complete asshole to me earlier, you jerk! You really gotta work on your people's skill!"

Sai is not prepared for the attack. Instantly, he coughs and cradles his midsection.

"And this is for..." Sakura starts and her teammate is already wincing, dreading for the next blow she is going to deliver to him.

She opens her arms and encircles him in a hug.

"Being our friend."


	3. Chapter 3

**Please read the AN at the bottom of the chapter. It's important. Btw, my new cover photo is a beautiful piece I commissioned from wepepe-draws at tumblr. This is how I imagined them in The Last (Naruto with Minato/Menma's hair and Sakura with long hair). I absolutely love this artwork, and nothing's gonna change my mind.**

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"When we reach the Land of Iron, I assume you'll be able to track Naruto, Kiba?" Sai inquires after the group of four shinobi exit the large wooden gates of Konoha.

"Yeah, yeah. I got this," Kiba mutters, then sighs with Akamaru walking beside him.

"Is there something wrong?" Shikamaru raises an eyebrow at him.

"I know Sai insisted for this to be a top-secret mission to make sure Root won't be tracking us. But usually, when it comes to tracking, Akamaru and I got this in the bag. I'm just not sure what's gonna happen once we find Naruto and explain to him everything that's been going on because Sakura looks really devastated already," he responds while he tries to steal a glance at Sakura's form from behind him.

"Let's have faith in her and see what happens," Shikamaru decides because there is nothing more they can do at this point.

In all honesty, Sakura is incredibly nervous. She can feel the anxiety rising in her system, spreading throughout her entire body while they leave the protective walls of their village. She isn't sure how to tell this Naruto. Her brain feels as though it is full of static like an old radio without a signal. She tries so hard to come up with elaborate rationalizations for why everything will turn out alright in the end, however, the nagging voice in the back of her mind keeps reminding her that there is nothing but failure ahead. This back and forth over-analyzing of the situation is affecting her concentration as she trips on a rock in the road.

The pale artist rapidly notices the medic's peculiar behavior. "Why are you so nervous?" He catches up to her and interrogates her about it, "you're just going to tell Dickless about the plan. Or, are you also thinking about confessing your feelings for him?"

The nonchalance in his tone, as though he is just commenting about the weather, makes their other companions freeze in their spots. Their shoulders tense and both of them warily eye the kunoichi trailing after them.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Kiba shouts at Sai, making Akamaru bark. The abrupt loudness of his voice scares away the birds in the vicinity.

Shikamaru shakes his head and grumbles indolently, "Oi, Kiba, keep your voice down. We're on a mission." Still, he keeps Sakura in his line of vision. Just in case, she snaps and unleashes hell upon her socially deficient team member.

The pink haired girl is not even paying attention to what Sai was saying. But as soon as the word 'feelings' registers inside her brain, her movements come to a halt and she almost loses her balance from the tree branch she is stepping on. Thankfully, she quickly regains her footing and does not slip, leaving only a few splintered barks in her wake.

Still, he almost gives her a heart attack. _The nerve of this guy, right after I forgave him! _

Sakura wishes that they are not leaping through the trees with a mission at hand. So, she can at least bide her time in pounding this tactless moron to a pulp. Her mind is already full, without him having to add any more of his unwanted input.

She knows there is no time and compromises instead by giving her teammate a really nasty look, followed by a few chosen words. "_Screw you_, _Sai_!"

"I'd rather not, Ugly. You're not even my type." Sai's normally placid face scrunches up into a look of dismay. "And Naruto will be displeased."

"Argh! Just leave me alone!" Sakura gives up and screams at him in frustration. She pumps chakra to her legs and increases her speed, leaving the truly clueless ninja behind. This is after she swings a tree at his direction when she heard him explain to Shikamaru and Kiba about women and their periods.

The three boys decide to give her some privacy with much reluctance from Sai for he just didn't understand why Ugly should be left alone all because of a little _'vaginal'_ bleeding. Sakura punches him thrice this time. She's not even on her period for Kami's sake!

And with her thoughts to herself, the idea of a confession – to _Naruto_, no less, literally makes Sakura blanch. _She is not_ _going to do that_.

She accepts that her confrontation with Sai cemented the depth of the blond's love for her, but it also opened new doors – unfamiliar territories, _unexplored emotions_, in which she has never considered before. To be honest, being aware of Naruto and seeing him in a different way, scares her. And as hard as she tries to forget about it, she cannot avoid it any longer and not only because he is someone that cannot easily be ignored.

She is reminded again of the sun and how she can always feel its presence wherever she goes. How it rises in the horizon, cascading an assortment of bright colors that are painted over the sky with a pleasing alacrity. How Naruto is a living embodiment of the sun and how she never wants to see his light fade away.

These are the things Sakura feels inside, accompanied by other emotions she dares not put a label on. She is determined to keep all of these to herself until she is completely sure of what her heart is telling her.

**~~O~~**

The Land of Iron is an icy, snow-covered country located among the three mountains known as the Three Wolves. The mountains are pristine white even whilst decorated with the dark green of the pine trees and shrubbery, everything is mostly coated in frost. The terrain is filled with white-winter ice and the grounds appear like glacial rivers.

Sakura observes the silence that is accompanied by the cold, hanging so thickly in the frigid air that brings crispness to the leaves adorned with frost. Her breath rises in visible puffs so she keeps moving in order to stay warm. She takes a step forward and hears the soft crunch of snow under her boots.

With the aid of Sai along with Kiba and Akamaru, they are able to find the inn where Yamato, Kakashi, and Naruto are staying without difficulty.

"Why are all of you here?" Yamato questions as the group approach them.

"To deliver urgent news from Konoha," Sai replies without preamble.

Kakashi places his hands in his pockets and looks at him quizzically. "Couldn't you just send us a scroll?"

"It's too risky and there's not enough time," Shikamaru remarks and instantly notices Naruto's absence. "Where's Naruto?"

"He must still be training," Yamato deduces and swiftly gets into action. "I'll bring him here."

At the sound of Naruto's name, Sakura begins to feel the panic building inside her again. So before she loses the courage, she immediately volunteers, "I can feel his chakra. Let me find him, Captain Yamato."

"It's not a problem, I can do it," Yamato presses, but Kiba and Shikamaru take hold of his arms.

"Sakura doesn't mind! C'mon, let's get inside. I'm freezing here," Kiba complains and ushers them all inside the inn.

Before Shikamaru enters the door, he gives Sakura a knowing look that roughly translates as: '_Get your shit together', _in which she responds with a roll of her eyes. _I'm trying_!

The odd exchange between them has been caught by Kakashi and the Copy-nin is anything but stupid. He shrugs his shoulders and decides to ignore whatever it is for the time being since it doesn't concern him.

••

Sakura spots him from a distance. He is sitting cross-legged on one of the fences, deep in concentration. His eye sockets bear the mark of the Sannin mode. He is not aware of her presence, yet and she rejoices a bit at this. Because in spite of her numerous mental preparations, her mind wants her to flee and run away like a scared mouse. A tiny part of her is yelling at her to retreat, to let Shikamaru or Sai deal with this and–

"Sakura-chan, why are you here?" Naruto gives her a puzzled look and glances at her, strangely. "And umm, what are you doing?"

"N-naruto!" She squeaks in surprise and scolds herself for sounding like a very flustered Hinata. She turns around and faces him, without realizing how close he actually is if she hadn't almost bumped into him.

They are only a few inches apart and Sakura can feel the hot breath coming from his mouth, fanning her face. She does not complain. It actually feels nice in contrast to the cold air that seems to numb her whole face and body.

His eyes widen due to their proximity. There is a faint blush dusting his cheeks that isn't caused by the weather. Although, he quickly steps back. Before her brain can decide what to do, Sakura's hand shoots up and grips his arm, keeping him in place.

"Sakura-chan?" He glances at the hand attached to his limb in question.

She doesn't know what to reply. The rational part of her brain is screeching at her that _this is wrong_, to let him go, to push him back, and demand some sort of space between them. However, all of her protests die in her throat when she gazes into his blue eyes.

Sakura thinks his eyes are the color of the ocean, so full of life and yet so mysterious. The myriad shades of blue swirl together, forming a vast pool of emotional currents. Looking into his eyes, it is as if one can hear the waves crashing against the shore and see the foam being tossed by the breeze.

Suddenly, her heart begins to beat erratically in her chest as though it will jump out of her ribcage. She recognizes the goosebumps slowly rising to the surface of her skin, the butterflies fluttering in her belly, and the sweat pooling in her palms. And before she can even breathe, she is already drowning, and Sakura doesn't care.

She holds his arm even tighter. There are so many things she wants to tell him, so many things she wants to ask and to apologize for. Although, she doesn't know how and where to begin. And when she finally finds her voice, she says the exact opposite of everything she wants to say. "How are you feeling?" _Why did you let yourself be humiliated like that?_

"Much better after all that ramen I ate," he exclaims enthusiastically and shyly scratches the back of his head. "It's not as good as Ichiraku's, though."

This is not what Sakura is asking so she tries again. "Were you injured? Let me heal you." _Tell me the truth, how did she hurt you?_

At her words, Naruto tenses for a moment, understanding what she really means. He becomes surprised and confused as if realizing that she isn't supposed to know about that. He swiftly hides his contrasting expressions and flashes her with a brilliant smile. "I'm fine, Sakura-chan. Don't worry about me. I'm still not giving up. I'll find a way to save Sasuke. Just count on me!"

Ordinary eyes may have missed the deception in his behavior. Though, Sakura is not ordinary. She withdraws her fingers from his sleeve. The last question she wants to ask him tingles at the tip of her tongue, however, she is too afraid to say it. _But, who's going to save you?_

Suddenly, the webs of guilt and regret trickle back into her consciousness, constricting her chest like a vice grip. The pain is still fresh and cuts just as deep. She hopes that one day she will be free from her wrong decisions. Although for now, the guilt is a stain on her person, an ugly scar that sits in her heart. She cannot undo the things she has done in the past. However, she can make amends for the future.

She hesitates for a minute and takes a deep breath, forcing herself to reveal the truth. "I came here with Sai, Kiba, and Shikamaru. Konoha's targeting Sasuke because of what's happened in Kumokagure."

"What? No, this is bad!" Naruto's features grow alarmed and worried. "I need to stop them. I have to go." He hurriedly makes a move to leave.

Sakura gently stops him and tells him sadly, "Naruto, you can't do everything on your own." She is also worried, so worried about him, about Sasuke, about everything that is going on, but she doesn't want to lose any more people she deeply cares about.

"You don't understand, Sakura-chan! I have to tell Kakashi-sensei and Captain Yamato about this." The panic and desperation are distinct in his voice.

"The others must have told them about it by now. But you–" Sakura isn't able to finish what she is saying because Naruto cuts her off.

"That stupid teme," He growls and pulls out his hair in exasperation. "And the lengths I go through for him!"

"Naruto, _please_–" she tries to reason with him again, although, he does not let her. He is not listening.

"–I have to figure out a way to fix this. The Raikage is a stubborn man, but maybe if I..." He begins to pace back and forth, hysterically trying to formulate a plan in his head.

A plan that will not include her. A decision he will make that will definitely leave her in the dark. A burden he will try to carry alone. An idiotic self-sacrificial promise he will strive to accomplish even if it will be at the cost of his own life.

All these things make her very mad.

Sakura's body starts to tremble, her knuckles turn white from clenching her fists too hard. She grits her teeth, trying her best to remain calm, however, the damn blond is making it absolutely difficult for her.

Despite undergoing puberty, what further aggravates Sakura more is their obvious height difference and how she always has to look up at him even when she is angry.

Luckily for her, he is Naruto and his feelings for her are like a human reaction being controlled by instinct.

"Dammit," she curses to herself and glares at him, severely. She wants to be the one looking down at him, for once. Because unluckily for him, she is Sakura and hitting him is like a natural reflex she does without thinking.

Instead of having to continuously gaze up at him, she settles for the next best thing she can do. She grips the collar of his orange jacket and yanks the fabric down, fast and hard so that she will be at eye level with him. The action strangles his neck and she hears Naruto yelp.

Even though he is obviously terrified of her, her hostile aura does nothing to stop his mouth from spouting more of his nonsensical blabbing.

"T-take it easy, Sakura-chan! You said you're gonna heal me, not hurt me! It's not right for you to come all this way to do that, you know. Just think about the..."

Sakura tunes him out at that point. Her patience is wearing thin. Her temper is brewing beneath the surface and her features contort in irritation. She just wants his lips to stop moving and for him to listen to her for the love of Kami!

"Naruto, shut up!"

He pauses for a minute, but then continues speaking, "I am _not_ a punching bag! You should learn to stop hitting your teammates and find another hobby! Look at Kakashi-sensei with his porn books, Sai with his..."

He goes on and on while he braces himself from one of her superhuman punches. But this time it's different, this time she actually stops her fists from connecting to any part of his body. Instead, she does something completely unexpected and so unlike Sakura at all, which surprises them both.

She kisses him.

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**Umm, soo... what did you guys think? The story decided to write itself and ran away from me XD**

**Sorry if my writing is a bit rough around the edges. I might edit this again at some point if there are things I didn't like how it was written. This is my last update for now and I'm planning to write for Harry Potter - Tomione, this July (and I'm also going on holiday) so you'll have to wait till August for an update. That is if you guys are still pumped for more.**

**Honestly, I'm really proud of the way everything turned out in this chapter because this is how I wanted this NaruSaku scene to happen:**

**√ No fake ass motha fvckn, cringe-worthy, diabetes-inducing, if-you-could-call-that-love confession (ya hear that, Kishi)**

**√ A whirlwind of conflicting emotions**

**And...**

**√√√ A KISS ;D**

**Gaaaad, what do you think Naruto's reaction will be? Is the cliff hanger too much? Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey lovelies! I spent time away from this story longer than I intended so, I apologize for that. I lost the interest to write and I was thinking of discarding this story completely but I know some have already liked this and in the long run, I really want to see what happens as well. I'm not going to focus on the war **–** most of us are familiar with what happens there (it'll be mentioned) but on how Naruto and Sakura's relationship will grow during these events.**

**P.S. I need new NaruSaku fics to read to motivate me to keep writing, so kindly give me your recommendations. Please don't type it in the reviews and just send me a message. I prefer stories set in the Naruto world (no Boruto/infidelity fics, please!). Thank you so much and tell me what you think of this new chapter! I really hope you'll like this. Otherwise, I might not update again for awhile. This is actually the first thing I've written after soooo many months so please excuse my sloppy writing, I am a bit rusty! **

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Ever since he was a kid, for as long as he can remember, Naruto dreams of his first kiss to be with Sakura.

He is about five years old, sitting on one of the empty swings in the playground when he sees her for the first time. A little girl who must be just as old as he is, is accompanied by her parents. Her small, chubby fingers are wrapped around her father's and mother's hands while she smiles happily at both of them as they make their way to the park.

She sits inside the sandbox with a shovel and pail, scooping and dumping sand all around her. The sand clings to her hair, her skin, and her clothes but she barely takes notice of this. The thing that catches his attention, however, is not the unusual shade of pink on her head – his brain catches up to that information a bit later on.

It is in the way she smiles on that bright, sunny morning that sends all the butterflies fluttering inside his tiny belly and it is as though a meteor has crashed down from the sky and made a home straight into his heart. This, he is most certainly sure of, is not the Nine-Tails' doing. He can only explain it in a few simple words how her smile at that moment, made him feel happy to be alive and reminded him that he is also human.

It is still quite early in the day and there are no other children in sight and her parents are speaking to the bakery owner who lived across the street. As a little boy, he gets up from his swing and and makes his way towards her. He is used of being shunned and cast aside for being a Jinchuriki and his short legs can only get him so far, but his determined face says, otherwise.

Sakura is busy shaping sand into what she firmly states is a castle, despite remembering what Ino said to her that it looks more like a pile of poo the last time they built sand castles together.

"Stupid Ino," she grumbles to herself while she continues to scoop up sand. Though, she pauses from her work when she notices a shadow right behind her. Immediately, her mother's voice echoes inside her head with something about not talking to strangers.

She turns around and glares at the unwanted person and prepares herself for an earth shattering scream in case they try to do something funny. What she does not expect is to be greeted by a familiar little boy that is not Sasuke-kun and one who does not seem to mind the unfriendly look she gives him.

_Fish cakes_. This is the first thing that registers inside her mind as she looks at him. She does not see him as a monster nor as the village pariah the people made him out to be. Because honestly, what is so frightening about a little boy who is so much shorter than she is?

He has a huge grin on his face. He is wearing a white shirt emblazoned with a spiral crest on the center and a pair of round goggles rests on the top of his head. His hair is in the shade of blond that resembles golden wheat fields and the many hued leaves that float in the crisp autumn air. A few wisps of blond hair has escaped from the goggle's strap, framing his eyes which are as blue as the color of the oceans and skies – full of life and optimism.

If Sakura is much older than five years old, she will have noticed that the warm glow in the atmosphere, the kind that feels like the soft kiss of summer without the fiery heat of noon time in August is not because of the sun nor the hot season. It is because of Naruto. However, she is aware of how nervous he is. For sweat starts pooling on his forehead and the corner of his mouth starts twitching as he tries holding his smile in place while she keeps her frown firmly fixed on him. He hesitates then opens his mouth and begins to speak. Although like some little boys, he doesn't get it right the first time and the first thing he says to her is–

**••**

"EEEEEPPP!" A female voice is heard.

It is not Sakura's audible gasp that snaps Naruto out of the memory. It is the strong punch to his jaw that comes after that. Although, he does not focus on that. Because before he can even process the kiss, of how it actually felt like to have her soft lips brush against his own, of how he has always dreamed of this day to come but knows there is an extremely_ small_ possibility of this to ever happen to him in real life...

She hurriedly flees from the scene and disappears in a cloud of smoke. The mixture of shock and confusion plastered on her face oddly mirrors his own. The only difference is underneath all of that exterior is another expression on her face which ordinary, untrained eyes would have missed. A look that not even Sasuke has seen, one that he is unfamiliar with.

Naruto cannot describe what he is feeling right now. He knows he is happy. He can feel it brewing inside him but he doesn't think anyone not even Kakashi with his Sharingan can tell. It's under the surface. He is also angry, confused, and even disappointed. He is not used of feeling so many conflicting emotions happening at the same time. One thing he is certain of, is finding Sakura to get to the bottom of this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Are you all still reading my story? Sorry for being MIA for a couple of months, real life issues needed to be dealt with first. Thank you to everyone who still left me nice reviews despite my absence. I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter! Please tell me what you think! Leave a review :) I promise a longer chapter next time but I had to release some of the angst in this chapter to continue with the flow of the story, I hope you understand. Oh and kindly excuse my sloppy writing. I'm trying to get my mojo back!**

**PS. everyone please keep safe during this difficult time! Corona is a bi*****

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There are so many things in Sakura's life she knows she regrets and wishes to change. Things like how she could have stopped Sasuke from leaving the village, or how she could have not given Naruto such a heavy burden to carry alone, and maybe bigger breasts if the Kami decides to be generous to her.

Although, if anyone asks her (most especially _Ino)_ if she regrets kissing Naruto... the answer is unexpectedly _no._ She might pretend that kiss never happened or deny it until the day she dies. If that doesn't work, she will insist that she was placed on some kind of genjutsu or that it is not her that kissed him but the other way around, if anyone pries her for information – if anyone was _actually_ there to see it happened at all. But...

Running away is _not_ part of the plan. She is the Fifth Hokage's apprentice for Kami's sake! She defeated an Akatsuki member, Sasori of the Red Sand, she possesses amazing chakra control, and she is a very skilled medic, second only to none other than Senju Tsunade, herself. However, none of these distinguished attributes can change the fact that she kissed Uzumaki Naruto full on the lips and ran away after the damage has been done, and to further add insult to the injury that was in fact her first kiss! That is if she can even count it as such.

"Oh, my god!" She exclaims to herself as soon as the coast is clear and there is no sign of Naruto. She does not know where that sudden burst of boldness came from. The adrenaline rushing through her veins as she planted a kiss on his lips is akin to the way she feels whenever her fists create massive fissures on the earth or whenever she hears bones cracking or feels muscles tearing as she delivers a strong blow to her enemies.

Sakura pauses under a shade of a tree and places both gloved hands on her chest, willing her heart to stop beating so loudly and erratically after what she has done. She closes her eyes and tries to take slow, deep breaths but she can feel the panic increasing inside her because she knows running away from Naruto might make things worse.

She does not know why she kissed him, all she knows is that kiss may forever change _everything._ That innocent, little kiss might create a whole lot of tension, awkwardness, and possibly form many questions between them... questions that are much better left unanswered. It can cause a shift in the balance of their friendship and ignite _something else..._ _something much more_.

And Sakura realizes she is fine with that and that terrifies her_ so much._

"Sakura-chan! You can't just go around kissing people, then run away like that!"

Naruto's familiar voice snaps her out of her reverie, the only difference she notices is that he has never sounded so angry calling her name until now.

She takes a deep breath and pink lashes carefully flutter open to look at him. Not even a few minutes have passed and he was already able to find her.

She can feel his chakra, distinct and separate from the Ninetail's own. A faint but volatile energy, swirling with his pent up emotions and ready to explode at any minute. His blue eyes pierced back at her, ice cold like glaciers that know no warmth. When someone looks at you like that, eyes holding complete anger, it hurts. Although, it is the accompanied pain in his eyes that shatters her heart so, she looks away.

"Do you think it's funny?" Naruto spits the words at her. His features darken and he gazes onto the ground for he has never been upset at Sakura and he does not know how to feel about this.

His question surprises her.

"What are you talking about?" She frowns at him and asks, a little defensively.

He glances back up at Sakura. "Why did you kiss me?" His voice is loud though, it sounded more pained than anything. "Is this some sort of game for you?" He spitefully lashes at her.

Is this the kind of person Naruto thinks she is? That she would mess with his feelings and would go out of her way to humiliate him in the worst possible way?

She looks at him questionably. Her arms start shaking and she tries very hard to stop the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. His words sting and she knows she does not deserve this.

"Think want you want, Naruto," she hisses at him. She knows it's unfair.

She is the one that kissed him. She is the one messing up their friendship. She is the one sending mixed signals. But she is also tired, so very tired because she has had enough of revengeful bastards, dense idiots, and emotionally constipated morons.

"But, we both know _none of that was fake_."


End file.
